Present Perfect Tense - Rules and Examples and Sentence Structure

Present Perfect Tense Rules, Examples, and and Sentence Structure with Exercises are given here. It is used to describe the actions that started in the past and completed recently. Let’s learn about the tense. Let’s learn how to make and use this tense correctly.

Here are some examples of the present perfect tense. Let’s read them and understand their structure.

Examples:

1. He has already sent the mail to you.
2. You haven’t paid yet.
3. We have explained every term and condition.
4. It has rained for two days.
5. She has lived in the USA.

Note: The above examples of present perfect tense expresses that an action has completed that was started in the past.

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Present Perfect Tense Rules and Examples

Present Perfect Tense shows that an action has been completed recently which was started in the past. It is used to show new information. Look at the chart below.

Structure – Subject + has/have + verb III + object + other words

Helping Verb – Has, Have

Main Verb – Verb III (Past Participle)

Present Perfect Tense Rules:

‘Has‘ is used with Singular subjects (He, She, It, They)
‘Have‘ is used with I, you, we, the girls, the boys, etc.
‘Since‘ is used for ‘Point of Time’ and ‘For’ is used for ‘Period of Time’.
Some adverbs are used like ever, never, already, often, always, by, etc.

Affirmative Sentences

Structure – Subject + has/have + verb III + object + other words

He, she, it or John	has got a job.
I, You, We, They or The girls	have won the competition.

Examples:

She has bought a car.
He has built a new house.
It has rained today.
I have lived in Delhi for two years.
We have won the match.
They have decorated their rooms.
You have already heard this news.
The man has been ill since Monday.

Negative Sentences

Structure – Subject + has not/have not + verb III + object + other words

He, she, it or John	has not got a job.
I, You, We, They or The girls	have not won the competition.

Examples:

He has not finished his work yet.
She has not met her friends.
It has not rained all day.
Jack has not built a new house.
I have not received Amy’s email.
You have not heard from him yet.
They have not sewed the clothes.
The firemen have not saved many people.

Other Negative Sentences

The following sentences are in the negative form. ‘Not‘ is not used in such sentences.

He has done nothing.
She has never told a lie.
Nobody has come yet.
No one has decided to go to Kanpur.

Interrogative Sentences

Follow the following sentences structures to make interrogative sentences of the present perfect tense.

Yes-No Type Questions

Structure – Has/have + subject + verb III + object + other words + ?

Has	He, she, it, or John	got a job?
Have	I, You, We, They or The girls	won the competition?

Examples:

Have you cleaned the house?
Has he washed his clothes?
Have I ever seen you before?
Has she seen the Taj Mahal before?
Have we met you before?
Has it rained there?
Have they lived in New York for five years?
Have you completed your payment?

Wh-words Interrogative Sentences

Structure: Question word + has/have + subject + verb III + object + other words +?

Why	has	He, she, it, or John	got a job?
Why	have	I, You, We, They or The girls	won the competition?

Examples:

What have you bought from the store?
When has the sun risen?
Who has invited you to the birthday party?
Whose son has got a job in Paris?
How much money have you spent?
Where has he gone?
How have you gone to the office?
Who has read this article?

Use of Present Perfect Tense

The Present Perfect Tense is used to show the following expressions:

To express the idea that something has happened recently –

Examples:

The girl has won the prize.
She has cleaned his room.
I have read this book.
I have just reached the town.
We have gone to Haryana.
They have washed their car.

To express the idea that something has never happened –

Examples:

Have you ever seen the Taj Mahal?
I have never read this novel.
She has never met me.
Has he ever visited India?

Some Adverbs or Adverbial Phrases are used in this tense –

(since, for, ever, yet, already, so far, recently, just, several times, up to now, up to the present, lately)

Examples:

She has been ill since last night.
They have been married for 2 years.
He has lived in this apartment for two years.
The bus has already left.
Mother has not come yet.
My dad has been very busy for the last two days.
I haven’t met my friend since 2015.
The teacher has not come so far.

Parts of Speech Exercises with answers

To express a repeated action in an unspecified time –

Examples:

She has visited the USA three times.
How many times have you read this novel?
She has watched this movie several times.
She has phoned you for times since yesterday.
Jack has not called you this evening.

Note – Past Expressing Adverbs are not used in this Tense.

I have seen him ~~yesterday~~.
He has arrived ~~last month~~.
You have bought a book ~~two days ago~~.
He has written this novel ~~last year~~.
The boy has won the prize ~~the other day~~.

Since and for are used in Present Perfect Tense –

Since is used for Point of time (definite time) and For is used for Period of time (length of time).

Since	For
4 o’clock	a day
Monday	a week
January	a month
1947	a year
Yesterday	two hours
Last Week	four days
I met you	a long time
4 July 2001	many days
childhood	about three weeks

Examples:

My brother has been busy since 4 o’clock.
She has lived in this city since Monday.
He has been absent since yesterday.
I have not seen him since I met him.
They have lived here for two years.
I have slept for two hours.
He has taken exercises for a long time.
I have not eaten anything for 4 hours.
Ram and I have known each other since January.
Tom has written this novel since last year.
I haven’t seen him since 4 o’clock.

Examples of Present Perfect Tense

Examples:

The baby has drunk milk.
She has never met me before.
Have you ever read ‘The Arabian Nights?
I have lived in this town for five years.
Mr. Verma has taught us for two years.
He has won the election.
The train has just arrived at the platform.
He has already worked on this project.

Exercise of present perfect tense:

Complete the following sentences –

She __________on this project. (work)
They _________ the match (win)
Have you ________ this film? (see)
We _________ here for two years. (be)
The train ______ already ______ from the station. (leave)
Her sister _______ a letter to you. (write)
They _________ for a walk. (go)
I ______ never ______ burger. (eat)
Rocky ______ never ______ any exam. (fail)
You child ______ his finger. (cut)

Answers – 1. has worked, 2. have won, 3. seen, 4. have been, 5. has left, 6. has written, 7. have gone, 8. has eaten, 9. has failed, 10. has cut

You may learn these tenses:

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Present Perfect Tense – Rules and Examples and Sentence Structure